Bacopa, and other herbs to try to remember to take

[Dennis Leahy]

I'm only half-joking about remembering to take memory herbs. :~)

So, "Bacopa" is new to me. What I have read sounds interesting. I'm taking Ginko and trying to blend some (organic) coconut oil into cooking. So far...

I want to kick-up the memory-boosting, nerve-tonic herbs, and would like suggestions. I cannot legally get cannabis oil, or I would also try that for its neuroprotective qualities (as well as some autoimmune stuff.)

Also, if you have specific brands/formulations and specific (US) online sources that you like (especially if vegetarian - not too keen on "gelatin") I'd really appreciate it!

Dennis

[Snowflower]

Thanks, Dennis, I will research bacopa. If you want to improve memory and avoid Alzheimer's then you need to read "Grain Brain" by David Perlmutter and kick the wheat habit. It is closely connected to increasing dementia, diabetes, and early aging.

[Snowflower]

Dr. Andrew Weil's views on bacopa:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA364826

[Matt P]

Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)
I want to kick-up the memory-boosting, nerve-tonic herbs, and would like suggestions. I cannot legally get cannabis oil, or I would also try that for its neuroprotective qualities (as well as some autoimmune stuff.)

Hi Dennis. A friend and I were recently corresponding about this. She was telling me that the benefit you get from the cannabis oil (cannabidiols?) is in greater quantities in hemp, which is legal in many more places. I will just paste her last email to me, with all her links.

Matt

[edit: I have not joined this company or purchased any of their products]

"Matt….have you heard of this prelaunch HEMP company, Kannaway? Since company is in prelaunch, here’s what I’ve put together:

CBD (cannabidiol) in industrial hemp when concentrated has cured Cancer, eliminated Epileptic Seizures, reduces Parkinson symptoms, Alzheimer’s memory loss, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Pain, PTSD, Autism & everyday Anxiety. Now the first well-financed public company in USA is bringing CBD to the market. Of course the company, Kannaway, can’t make claims or for-profit disease industry would shut down, but there have been over 3,000 favorable clinical studies.

The challenge has been availability in the US and costs have been as high as $500/mo. to consume. But Kannaway is eliminating these obstacles and has secured exclusive rights to NIH patent #6630507 on therapeutic uses of cannabinoids.

Products roll out early April. You know those nicotine inhalers as a replacement for cigarettes? Kannaway has a CBD vaporizer. I’m told you take a ‘hit’ and instantly you feel mentally clear and energized! But *know* the chemical is not THC (which gets you high), but CBD. Clinically they are finding it’s been the CBD in marijuana all along that provides the medicinal benefits.

Check it out. Whether or not you’re interested in the business, it’s best to become a distributor to get wholesale price when products are available April 1st.

The Science: mycbdresearch.com (then click “search by aliment” for disease specific videos)

http://mycbdresearch.com/aliments/cancer/

Terri

Kannaway Pre-Launch

Team Information Website Under Development: www.CBD4us.com

World's first Hemp-Oil-CBD based networking company is preparing for launch!

KANNAWAY, the world’s first Hemp-Oil-CDB based network marketing company, is near launch-ready ... and we are putting together out leadership team. KANNAWAY has been 6 years and $70 million in the making and now uniquely positioned to ride the wave of change and receptivity to the wonderful medicinal benefits of Hemp-Oil CBD based products.

If you are open to look at something new ... OR JUST WANT TO CONSUME PRODUCTS WHOLESALE… we are wired in at the top of the company and I'd love to discuss the benefits of getting pre-postioned for FREE as a founder in our organization right away. The targeted company launch date is April 1st.

---------------------------------------------------------

Kannaway Pre-Launch Executive Summary
CBD-Rich Hemp Oil … The Next Superfood?

The Company
• First organized and well-funded MLM company into medicinal CBD rich hemp oil products

• Not marijuana based … HEMP based and non-psycho active

• CBD-rich hemp oil products are already legal in all 50 states and 40 countries

• Perfect timing as public awareness of health benefits of CBD is rapidly increasing

• Kannaway is uniquely positioned to ride the wave of awareness and demand.

• Kannaway has access to extensive financial resources.

• New network marketing division of Medical Marijuana, Inc. (MJNA)

• MJNA controls the seed supply of CBD rich hemp

• US. Farm Bill passed on 2/7/14 legalizing hemp agriculture in ten US states

• 13,000 acres already under cultivation and increasing to 25,000 acres

The Science mycbdresearch.com

• Invested over $70 million and over 6 years into R&D

• Secured exclusive rights to NIH patent #6630507 on therapeutic uses of cannabinoids

• NOT derived from the intoxicating psychoactive marijuana

• Oil comes from marijuana’s non-psychoactive cannabis cousin, industrial HEMP

• CBD is not psychoactive and is legal for sale and use in all 50 states when it is a natural constituent of hemp oil (all hemp products have CBD in them)

• Kannaway is positioned to lead the field in CBD research and product development

• State-of-the-art R&D laboratory in San Diego led by award winning and respected PhD

• Endorsed by A4M Founders Dr. Ronald Klatz, MD and Dr. Robert Goldman, MD


Recent Media

• The Legal Alternative to Medical Marijuana? – NBC San Diego – 2/12/14

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loca...244831531.html

• Channel 10 News Report – ABC San Diego - 1/18/14

http://www.10news.com/lifestyle/heal...ancer-epilepsy

• Dr Sanjay Gupta's CNN Special WEED – 8/11/13

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3IMfIQ_K6U

• Dr. Oz - scheduled in March

• Good Morning America - upcoming


The Products

• Sister company – HempMedsPX.com is the leader in CBD rich hemp oil products (these prices are not Kannaway prices!)

• Kannaway - Phase 1

o HempVĀP - the first CBD-rich hemp oil vaporizer on the market (you inhale it)
o CBD-rich hemp oil salve with camphor to soothe minor aches & pains
o High end, anti-aging skin care

• ·Kannaway - Future: Any and all products from HempMedsPX.com

o CBD-rich hemp oil tinctures

o CBD-rich hemp oil capsules

o Personal care products – shampoos, lotions, skin care, etc.

o High-potency health professional’s line

The Market

• Softened by media

• Bound to explode due to legalization of hemp cultivation in US.

• Market will be best served and penetrated by direct sales


Management Team

• Jeff Rodgers – Founder, President & CEO

• Christopher Hussey – CTO, founder of Sharengine.com

• Chris Boucher – VP Product Development – Father of the US hemp movement


The Opportunity

• Ground-floor … still in prelaunch

• March 1 – Pre-enrollments start

• April 1 - Official Launch


Affiliate Company Websites

• www.medicalmarijuanainc.com

• www.realscientifichempoil.com

• ·www.hempmedspx.com


Online Resources
• The Legal Alternative to Medical Marijuana – NBC San Diego – 2/12/14
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loca...244831531.html
• Channel 10 News Report - ABC San Diego - 1/18/14
http://www.10news.com/lifestyle/heal...ancer-epilepsy
• Dr Sanjay Gupta's CNN Special WEED – 8/11/13
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3IMfIQ_K6U
• Scientific Research and Real Facts about the Cannabinoids in Cannabis
http://youtu.be/hHnQ-YAqAsA
• What are Cannabinoids?
http://www.news-medical.net/health/C...nabinoids.aspx
• U.S. Patent Patent #6630507
www.uspatent6630507.com

[Dennis Leahy]

Hi Matt/mpennery,

I currently have 3 pints of Nutiva Hemp Oil, which I try to sneak into cooking. My wife and daughter HATE the taste and smell - I can put up with it, but prefer to mix it with other oils like olive oil or sesame oil. (To this mix, I also sometimes add coconut oil.) So, if hemp oil truly is high in CBDs (and not just the other amazing health properties of having the highest plant-derived levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 in the perfect ratio for humans), then I suspect that ANY hemp oil is just as high as any other hemp oil in CBDs. I actually suspect this is true, but that Nutiva doesn't test for CBD content.

Is industrial hemp really high in CBD's? Not unless the farmer spent the time and the money to select for a single high CBD plant and then cloned literally fields-full of plants (which I doubt.) There is a company in Colorado that has done just that, (not fields, but indoor growing), and have a strain of cannabis extremely high in CBD (I think I remember it was 17%), and it is being used to successfully treat an exceptionally nasty form of epilepsy - Druvet Syndrome. (See the Zaki and Charlotte video, here.)

Posted by from the Kannaway web site
...many scientists now consider CBD to be the single most important cannabinoid ever discovered.
You may hear more about THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in the news—it’s the cannabinoid that gets you “high”—yet non-psychoactive CBD is the real cannabinoid superstar. CBD is overwhelmingly responsible for most of the health and wellness benefits of the cannabis plant.

Clinically they are finding it’s been the CBD in marijuana all along that provides the medicinal benefits.

Your friend's info may be incomplete or skewed by the Kannaway hype. The "Phoenix Tears" protocol developed by Rick Simpson produces cannabis oil as high as 97% to 98% THC, and cures cancer. So, even if it was 2% to 3% CBD (which it cannot possibly be - there has to be other components), the THC is medicinal. In fact, there are (I think) 9 different named cannabinoids, THC the best known, CBD the next best known, and all are therapeutic/medicinal - for various diseases/syndromes/conditions. Kannaway is focused on CBD (that's a good thing), but it feels like marketing hype to dismiss the other cannabinoids in promoting CBD.

Then there is the faction of cannabis research utilizing raw cannabis leaves (and flowers?), juiced. This provides THCa, a precursor of THC that is therapeutic and non-psychoactive.

Hey, Kannaway may be the greatest thing since sliced (gluten-free) bread, I don't know. I don't mean to rain on their parade (though I will give them a thumbs down for patenting the therapeutic use of cannabidiol -CBD- as I believe no patent should ever be awarded on any plant or plant component.

Hi Snowflower,

I am now gluten-free, wheat-free.

Dennis

[bruno dante]

Hi Dennis, they're not herbs, but I'd highly suggest the supplements coenzyme q10 and acetyl l-carnitine.

In my experience, the combination of these 2 supps trump any herb. Ive used ginkgo on and off, and while I get a little boost from the blood flow, it never sustains. These 2 supps act on the mitochondria themselves, rejuvinating and reenergizing them. Used with the ginkgo, it is incredibly potent. Makes me feel sharp as a tack.

Good luck!

[pathaka]

- MCT Oil (even better than coconut oil, more ketones / gramm)
- Curcumin (extracted from Turmeric, liposomal is perhaps the best absorping) for lowered inflammation
- Ginger (as above)
- Brahmi (esp. Bacopa monniera) neural growth factors
- Tulsi (Holy basil) for myelin and
- Lion's Mane (regeneration of neural links)
- Huperzine-A (acetylcholine break-down preventer)
- ashwagandha (against stress related neural breakdown)

Everything has an optimum dosage. You can do too much of each. Find your own balance.

Too late / tired for refs.

[DeDukshyn]

Dennis .. that title was great!

I take bacopa fairly regularly. The effect is subtle and it takes a few weeks to notice anything but it does sharpen you up after about 3-4 weeks of use. Again, the effect is subtle.

Here is some bacopa research from here: http://www.aor.ca/products-page/prod.../#research_tab

Background Info

An Ancient Tradition

Bacopa monniera Linn (formerly Herpestis monniera), or water hyssop, is a creeping annual plant with succulent leaves and delicate mauve flowers. While it can be found throughout the world in marshy areas, Bacopa is revered in India, where it is known as Brahmi. The observation that this beautiful botanical supports cognitive function and promotes tranquility goes back to the very beginnings of Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India. The two core Vedic medical texts, the Caraka Samhita (first to sixth centuries CE) and the Sushruta Samhita, which may go back into the early centuries BCE, both speak of its ability to provide a wide range of benefits to mental function. The later Bhavprakasa Varg-Prakarana informed readers that Brahmi “acts as a brain tonic and promotes longevity.”


Research

The Gateway to Infant Intelligence

Even today, newborn babies in India are ceremonially anointed with Bacopa in the belief that it will open the gateway of intelligence, and children are given Bacopa teas and syrups to promote their mental development. In such a cultural context, it is therefore not surprising that most of the earlier human Bacopa trials were performed in children. In one double-blind, placebo controlled study, 110 boys aged 10 to 13 of average intelligence (as measured on IQ tests) took either a Bacopa supplement or a dummy wafer every day for 9 months. Before and after starting the supplement program, the boys took a battery of tests for brain function, including intelligence, memory, and reaction time. At the end of the trial, there were no significant improvements in the cognitive functioning of the boys who had been given the dummy wafers. But math skills, direct memories, and several subtests of a variation on the IQ tests were all significantly improved in the boys who took the Bacopa supplement.

Anxiety, Productivity & Blood Pressure

Studies have now also been performed in adults. One of them focused on people with anxiety disorders – another aspect of cognitive function for which Bacopa is traditionally believed to be helpful. After four weeks of taking a Bacopa syrup, a group of 35 workers with anxiety were found to have improved memory, less anxiety, better social adjustment (as measured by the Asthana-Bell adjustment inventory), and less mental fatigue at work – something measurable in terms of greater work output. The supplement also very slightly lowered their systolic blood pressure, from 117 to 112 mmHg.

Good Things Take Time

All of these effects were mild, however – probably because of the short duration of the trial. A longer (twelve-week), better-designed study on the brain-boosting powers of Bacopa has given the herb a much stronger endorsement. Australian researchers performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 46 healthy men and women. The whole group took a battery of neuropsychological tests. Then, half of this group took 300 mg daily of a Bacopa supplement (carefully standardized to contain at least 50% of the two known active markers, bacosides A and B) while the other half took a placebo.

The participants were re-tested five weeks later, and again at the twelve week mark. No significant differences between the folks taking the real supplement and those taking the bogus pill were reported after the first five weeks – a fact which might explain why the effects in the four-week syrup study, discussed above, were so mild. But at the end of the twelve-week study, compared to the group taking the placebo pill, men and women supplementing with Bacopa showed significant improvements in cognitive function, processing visual information 15% faster as measured by the inspection time (IT) test, showing a 14% greater rate of learning, a 33% lower rate of forgetting, verbal information, along with a remarkable 108% better ability to consolidate new information without interference from previously-learned data (“proactive interference”) – all detected by Rey’s Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), still the standard for verbal learning tests.

Safe and Sound

Few side effects were seen in the study, the most notable being an increase in thirst and urination. And, interestingly, the people taking Bacopa actually suffered fewer headaches than did those getting the dummy pills!

Neuroprotective Effects in Animals

Recent animal studies have given us some exciting clues about the potential neuroprotective effects of this Ayurvedic secret. Bacopa has been shown to protect animals from drug-induced memory losses and the depletion of the key memory neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the hippocampus – the seahorse-shaped organ of the brain responsible for sorting new information for storage into memory. It has also been found to increase the synthesis of new protein in the rodent brain. But the most exciting of the recent animal studies shows that Bacopa boosts the brain’s production of the key protective antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase (CAT). In this, Bacopa is closely paralleling the effects of deprenyl (selegiline), a drug prescribed for Parkinson’s disease, which is also being taken by many people in the life extension movement because animal studies suggest that it has potent anti-aging effect. Remarkably, however, the effects of Bacopa were shown to be even broader ranging than those of deprenyl: Bacopa cranked up levels of these enzymes in every tested area of the brain, while deprenyl failed to upregulate these enzymes in the hippocampus.

Proven Benefits

Bolstering brain function and relieving anxiety, while gearing up the brain’s ability to defend itself from free radical assault, Bacopa forges new steel from the carbon of ancient wisdom and the iron of today’s neuroscience.

I also take Ashwaghanda: http://www.aor.ca/products-page/prod.../#research_tab

Research

Background Information

The King of Adaptogens
If you suffer with chronic stress or flagging energy, then Ayurvedic tradition and a growing body of scientific research suggest that ashwagandha may be worth looking into. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), the so-called “Indian ginseng,” is actually not a ginseng species at all; and while it does provide powerful support against overwhelming stress, its effects are in many ways distinct from most other adaptogenic herbs. While most adaptogens primarily work by helping the body to mobilize and maintain the physiological response to stress, ashwagandha appears to work first and foremost by reducing the stress-related excesses of the alarmed nervous system. As science defines these botanicals’ effects and mechanisms of action more precisely, the blanket tag “adaptogen” will no doubt be replaced by a series of more precise terms for substances which help the body adapt to stress in different ways.


Research

Stress and Anxiety
Ashwagandha has traditionally been used as an Ayurvedic remedy for anxiety, an effect well documented in animal models. In a controlled study in humans stressed with repeated, heavy swimming, people taking ashwagandha were better protected against ulcers, depletion of vitamin C, and exhaustion of a key adrenal hormone, and had increased physical endurance compared with people taking Panax ginseng. Similar studies have shown that providing lab animals with ashwagandha leads to better stress tolerance, longer swimming times, greater maintenance of glycogen energy stores, the development of more heart muscle mass, protection against the shrinking of the adrenals and the depletion of vitamin C, and more muscle weight gains.

Likewise, animals experience a great deal of stress when under forced restraint; such animals experience fewer gastric ulcers, less behavioral despair, and less need to pump out natural “pain killers” if given ashwagandha. As well, ashwagandha protects animals against morphine tolerance, dependence, and toxicity.

Aging

In a double-blind trial in humans, 101 healthy men aged 50 to 59 were evaluated for various aging parameters over the course of a year. Increased red blood cell levels, greater libido, and lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate (a measure of chronic inflammation) were observed in the men who got ashwagandha instead of the dummy pills.

Immunity

Ashwagandha also protects the body against immune suppression. In one study, mice were given one of three drugs that suppress the immune system, with or without ashwagandha added to their diets. Compared with animals receiving the immunosuppressive drugs alone, animals whose diets were supplemented with ashwagandha suffered much less suppression of bone marrow activity, with the result that they had higher hemoglobin, red blood cell count, platelet count, and body weights – and higher levels of the white blood cells of the immune system.

In another study, a mixture of sitoindosides from ashwagandha activated the peritoneal macrophages (a kind of immune cell) in laboratory animals, increasing their mobilization and their ability to consume foreign bacteria while boosting levels of enzymes that help the body break down damaged and toxic molecules left over from the body’s metabolic process. In yet a third study, administration of ashwagandha extract to either healthy or tumor-bearing animals was found to enhance the proliferation of immune cells and their precursors in the thymus and bone marrow, actually doubling the body’s response to either of two immunological challenges. Ashwagandha also boosted the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, and the immune cells’ ability to destroy infected and foreign cells was enhanced.

Anti-inflammatory

The immune system must ride out a delicate balance, however. So the observation that ashwagandha protects against the suppression of the immune system might lead to concerns that it might overactivate these same processes, potentially aggravating chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. So it’s all the more remarkable that ashwagandha has been found to have significant anti-inflammatory activity, reducing the autoimmune response to an animal model of arthritis to a similar degree as a cortisone drug. In another study, ashwagandha reduced both the degeneration of the joints and the swelling induced by an arthritis-inducing drug in experimental animals.

Chronic Inflammation

In some kinds of chronic inflammation (especially those involving fine particles embedded in the tissue, like silica dust in the lungs or cells infected by fungi or mycobacteria), the chronic attack of immune cells trying to clear the unclearable eventually leads to a nodule made up of densely-packed immune cells trapped within the enlarged local cells. In at least two animal studies, ashwagandha has been shown to reduce the formation of these aggregated cellular nodules (granuloma) after injection with carageenan or implantation with cotton pellets.

A Properly Standardized Extract

The issue of proper standardization of botanicals must always be addressed, to ensure reliable, consistent results for users. The first active compounds discovered in ashwagandha were a family of steroidal lactones collectively called the withanolides. But more recently, a group of glucoside and saponin acyl derivatives of the withanolides – the sitoindosides – were identified. Sitoindosides are more specific markers than the withanolides, and appear to be responsible for much of the herb’s anti-stress and anti-anxiety activities. Accordingly, ashwagandha supplements should be standardized to their sitoindoside content, in addition to their withanolide levels.

L-Theanine is staple in my cupboard. This simple amino, found in green tea, has the amazing ability to coerce your brain towards an alpha brain-wave state -- the focused relaxed state that is synonymous with Meditation and centering oneself in the "present moment" -- one can also mix theanine with caffeine for a boost without any caffeine high - the two work synergistically. Great for helping you become stress resistant as well. http://www.aor.ca/products-page/prod.../zen-theanine/

Research

Background Information

What Is L-Theanine?
L-theanine is a rare amino acid. This amino acid, with apparently only one exception, is found only in certain species of tea plants. It constitutes between 1 and 2% of the dry weight of tea leaves and accounts for approximately one half of all the free amino acids present in the leaves. First discovered in 1949, L-theanine not only is an important health-giving constituent of tea, but also is the major flavor component of green tea.

The Relaxation Factor

Researchers have often wondered why it is that tea, despite its caffeine content, tends to relax individuals without making them drowsy. Similarly, those engaging in meditation practices may drink tea to dispel mental sluggishness and yet not become mentally agitated, as is typical with the consumption of too much coffee. L-theanine appears to be the component in green tea which is responsible for these particular benefits. This is good news for the 65% of adult Americans who suffer from daily stress.


Research

Alpha Brain Waves
Various tests have demonstrated the anti-stress effects of L-theanine. One of the more revealing of these experiments examined brain wave patterns after the ingestion of L-theanine. This research built upon the knowledge that humans produce specific patterns of electrical pulses on the surface of the brain which mirror brain states. The four primary wave patterns are known as the alpha, beta, delta and theta (a, b, d and q) brain waves, representing, respectively, 1) relaxed wakefulness, 2) excitation, 3) sound sleep, and 4) dozing sleep.

50 women volunteers (aged 18-22 years old) were divided into high-anxiety and low-anxiety groups. Each group was given either 50 or 200 mg L-theanine in water once a week. Their brain waves were measured during the 60 minutes after ingestion. The measurements were repeated twice during a two-month test period. The results were a marked increase in alpha-waves starting roughly 40 minutes after ingestion. Researchers concluded that L-theanine rapidly enters the system when ingested and that it heightens the index of the brain wave which is known to be linked to a state of relaxed wakefulness. Researchers also have explored whether the response to L-theanine might be influenced by the level of anxiety found in test subjects. As might be expected, the greater degree of change is found in those manifesting high anxiety.

Improved Learning

Animal tests have been used to find out if L-theanine exerts an impact upon memory and learning ability. In one memory experiment based upon learned avoidance, both active and passive in nature, the L-theanine-treated animals were more successful than controls, and their superiority increased in proportion to the number of tests. In another test which measured learning ability, the L-theanine-treated animals, similarly, out-performed the controls, especially as the tests became more advanced.

Neurotransmitter Metabolism

Various experiments have attempted to determine how L-theanine achieves its benefits in the areas of relaxation and learning. These tests have shown that the amino acid influences the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain. The metabolism of dopamine and serotonin is influenced by L-theanine ingestion.

Neuroprotective

L-theanine, furthermore, appears to protect against certain so-called “excitotoxins.” It modulates the motor-stimulation associated with caffeine, and it inhibits some of the actions of norepinephrine in the central nervous system, for instance. In tests with gerbils, L-theanine protected against the destruction of neurons due to a rapid increase in glutamate in neurons and their resulting cellular death.

Benefits for the Liver

Yet another trial with L-theanine looked at its effects upon liver health. A known liver toxin, D-galactosamine, was employed. L-theanine was shown to be active in preventing injury to the liver, whereas glutamine in equal amounts showed no protective effect. Studies using other models of liver injury also have demonstrated benefits.

An extremely well formulated B-complex can also do wonders to keep your brain neurons working well. Something like this (next link) -- the forms and ratios are everything -- don't cheap out on B vitamins, you'll just pee them. http://www.aor.ca/products-page/prod.../#research_tab


And for a quick and powerful "fixer-upper" High dose of the amino l-tyrosine (6-10 grams) will allow a person to survive an inordinate amount of physical and mental stress. So much so, military utilizes it. http://www.aor.ca/products-page/prod.../#research_tab

Background Information

L-Tyrosine, or simply tyrosine, is one of the 20 amino acids, most of whom are found in common mammalian proteins. Foods rich in tyrosine include wheat germ, granola, oats, cheeses, dairy products, chocolate, yogurt, pork, turkey, chicken, and wild game. However, trying to obtain the benefits of tyrosine from the diet is not an option, since the foods that are the richest sources of tyrosine, namely turkey and wild foul, are also the richest sources of the amino acid tryptophan, which is notorious for its ability to induce lethargy and sleep.

Tyrosine is considered non-essential, as it can be synthesized endogenously from another amino acid, phenylalanine. Some individuals suffer from a hereditary condition known as phenylketonuria, which is characterized by the absence of a specific enzyme (phenylalanine hydroxylase) that is required for the synthesis of phenylalanine into tyrosine. This condition requires strict dietary abstinence from foods high in phenylalanine.

Tyrosine is also the precursor for the neurotransmitters epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine, which are chemicals that are essential for cognitive and central nervous system function. It is also the precursor of the hormone thyroxine, as well as melanin, the skin and hair pigment.

What Are The Therapeutic Uses For Tyrosine?
According to research, the most prevalent usage for supplemental tyrosine appears to be the enhancement of cognitive function and alertness under conditions of environmental stress, such as sleep deprivation, multi-tasking, and functioning at high altitudes and/or cold temperatures. It is more than noteworthy to mention that a significantly high percentage of the clinical studies of tyrosine are conducted by the military, specifically that of the United States. Clinical trials with tyrosine have also been conducted with respect to attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Multi-tasking

In the modern workplace, multi-tasking refers to the number of competing tasks and responsibilities that simultaneously require an employee’s attention. The proper execution of a diverse battery of tasks requires optimal cognitive flexibility. Typing, researching, memorizing, calculating, and providing and/or accepting oral instruction, all require the coordinated utilization of different (and cognitively competing) spheres of the brain. Neurotransmitters have to send messages from one neuron to another at sufficient speed in order to ensure an effective operation. The fact that tyrosine naturally enhances the numbers and activity of such neurons is what led researchers to test it for its effectiveness within a stressful, multi-tasking office environment.

In an exceptionally thorough office trial, 20 healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females) underwent four standardized tests on a computer screen simultaneously; these consisted of a memory test, an arithmetic test, a visual monitoring test, and an auditory monitoring test. The results of the study revealed that the tyrosine group displayed significantly enhanced accuracy and working memory scores over the control group that received a placebo.

Sleep Deprivation

Military life is one of the few areas of employment in modern society where the work is meant to be as physically and as psychologically taxing on its employees as possible. Soldiers are meant to function under conditions that are often unnaturally stressful, and none more so than those imposed on the pilots of the United States Marine Corps. In a study conducted at the U.S. Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory in Pensacola, Florida, 20 such marine aviators (all males, aged 21-27) volunteered to help determine if tyrosine can improve alertness during periods of sleep deprivation. After being deprived of sleep for 24 hours, the marines taking tyrosine scored markedly higher and made significantly fewer errors in their standardized tests which measured their hand-eye coordination, memory capacity, and comprehensive skills.

High Altitudes and Cold Weather

Hypoxia is the condition whereupon the body’s tissues are deprived of oxygen. This can take place in high altitudes (due to thin air) and extremely cold temperatures (due to constricting arteries). High altitude exposure causes hypobaric hypoxia, and additional exposure to extremely cold temperatures can further exacerbate this cognitive impairment. The bottom biological line is that acutely stressful situations (such as, but not limited to – hypoxia) can deplete brain norepinephrine and dopamine levels, thus disrupting behaviour and performance.

Human studies with tyrosine have been impressive. A series of clinical trials were conducted by the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Montana among soldiers operating at mountainous altitudes of 15,300 feet. They revealed that “tyrosine significantly mitigated many of the decrements in symptoms, mood, and performance induced by [hypobaric hypoxia], including functions believed to be regulated by catecholaminergic neurons such as vigilance, alertness, and anxiety.”

The United States Air Force, for its part, commissioned a study investigating the effectiveness of tyrosine on acute cardiovascular stress. Using a method designed to simulate gravitational stress (orthostasis), subjects who were given tyrosine experienced stabilized pulse pressures and increased central nervous system activity.

Animal Studies: Better Performance Under Stress

Extensive animal studies have revealed some very interesting revelations about tyrosine. In a series of trials, laboratory rats that were pre-treated with tyrosine were subjected to the Porsolt swim test, which is when the rats are placed in an escape-proof tank filled with freezing water. The amount of time that the rats were immobilized by the freezing water was then measured. It was found that the rats that were pre-treated with tyrosine had their immobility time reduced significantly, so much so in fact that the performance levels of these animals matched those that were not exposed to cold-induced stress.

Another type of test called the Morris water maze tested spatial learning and memory in laboratory rats exposed to a simulated height of 19,500 feet for 8 hours. The decrements in performance among the tyrosine-treated animals were only marginal, where as the non-treated animals’ decline in performance was considerable.

ADD

ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder (sometimes referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD) can be defined as a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, occurring more frequently and severely than is typical in individuals at a comparable level of development. As expected, many diagnoses occur among schoolchildren, and there appears to be some connection between this disorder and the maintenance of adequate levels of certain amino acids, especially phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, histidine, and isoleucine. In fact, recent data suggest that children with phenylketonuria (PKU) may have an increased prevalence of attentional dysfunction.

The results from studies conducted with tyrosine with specific regard to ADD have been mixed, with their beneficial role being limited to a temporary one. In one noted clinical trial, 12 adults with ADD supplemented with tyrosine for 8 weeks. After 2 weeks, 8 of these subjects showed “marked to moderate” improvements, but after 6 weeks these particular subjects developed tolerance against tyrosine supplementation. The temporary improvements experienced by these subjects, however, leaves open the potential usage of tyrosine in cases of ADD that are of a transient type.

Dosage and Safety

Most of the successful human trials with tyrosine, especially those conducted by the U.S. military, used doses of 100-150 milligrams for every kilogram of bodyweight. This would equate to 8-12 grams of tyrosine for a 175 pound subject, and no discernibly adverse side effects were noted.

I work for the company linked to in my post. I can vouch this is likely the best supplement manufacturer in North America. All RMs are sourced from suppliers - not middle men and our vendor certification and raw material testing rival pharma standards. Every product sold on the site has a Canadian NPN meaning Health Canada has endorsed both the forms and the dosages as effective and safe based on peer reviewed research. Our company does not sell weight loss items or any such snake oil. It is a company driven to provide high quality, safe and effective natural products that can rival pharma solutions and we spend huge amounts in research to bring people only the best.

Here is a short list of research corroborations we have made with various academic institutes.
http://www.aor.ca/aor-research-collaboration/

I know I sound a bit like a commercial, but I know the products and processes well, as I had a hand in this companies growth for aver a dozen years already. However I can't sell products, I am just the MIS guy and some of these are tricky to get in the US and they are expensive. AORs products are 98% fully vegetarian. We avoid gelatin at all costs and are even working on a "gelatin free" softgel.

I believe in the US, one can get them from iHerb or IndyVitamins? but our primary market is Canada.

If you have questions about health products in general I am fairly knowledgeable.

Also the website has a wealth of information on anything one might want to know about health and proven natural products to optimize it. The info is all free so browse the education tab or search a topic there, there's usually something to find relevant.
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Posted by pathaka (here)
- MCT Oil (even better than coconut oil, more ketones / gramm)
- Curcumin (extracted from Turmeric, liposomal is perhaps the best absorping) for lowered inflammation
- Ginger (as above)
- Brahmi (esp. Bacopa monniera) neural growth factors
- Tulsi (Holy basil) for myelin and
- Lion's Mane (regeneration of neural links)
- Huperzine-A (acetylcholine break-down preventer)
- ashwagandha (against stress related neural breakdown)

Everything has an optimum dosage. You can do too much of each. Find your own balance.

Too late / tired for refs.

Be careful with huperzine - A, an overdose is very bad, it is quite powerful.

[Snowflower]

Pathaka, I tried making liposomal curcumin and it separated. Can you share how to make it?

Posted by pathaka (here)
- MCT Oil (even better than coconut oil, more ketones / gramm)
- Curcumin (extracted from Turmeric, liposomal is perhaps the best absorping) for lowered inflammation
- Ginger (as above)
- Brahmi (esp. Bacopa monniera) neural growth factors
- Tulsi (Holy basil) for myelin and
- Lion's Mane (regeneration of neural links)
- Huperzine-A (acetylcholine break-down preventer)
- ashwagandha (against stress related neural breakdown)

Everything has an optimum dosage. You can do too much of each. Find your own balance.

Too late / tired for refs.

[Dennis Leahy]

I hope people REMEMBER to keep checking this thread. :~) Lots of excellent info!

Thanks to all who have taken the time and effort to share.

Dennis

[Dennis Leahy]

I'm resurrecting this thread. You'll probably think I am kidding, but I was going to start a new thread on the aging brain, dementia, and herbal "remedies", but dutifully did a search first and found my own thread. I had completely forgotten that I had started this thread. Sheesh.

In the 5 years since I started this thread, my own brain has been through a bizarre journey, but I am on an uphill slope now. This time, I'm searching for information for my father-in-law. I watched my own parents' dementia rob them of much awareness in their last years, and found that the medical and nutrition staff at the care facility were rigidly disinterested in doing anything natural (herbs, supplements, mushrooms, and even coconut oil) to try to alleviate or attenuate dementia.

Also, in those 5 years, I have researched CBD (cannabidiol, from cannabis) quite a bit, and what I wrote early in this thread about hemp oil having CBD is (virtually 100%) wrong. Cannabidiol (CBD) should be extracted from organically grown, high-CBD cannabis flowers, yielding a "full-spectrum" extract (though almost all of what is on the market is an isolate of CBD from hemp stalks.) Entire forums could be dedicated to cannabis compounds as medicine, and CBD may be the star of the show for some common mood disorders (depression, anxiety), which are often companions of dementia.

Having tried and having hit a wall with getting caregivers to incorporate any natural brain health and "anti-dementia" strategies for my parents, I turn my attention to my father-in-law, and find that I cannot simply give up without trying - even knowing that I'll probably hit a wall and my suggestions will be discarded.

I want to offer suggestions that at least have a chance of being considered - it has to be practical. At close to 90 years old, with other health issues (eye surgeries, glaucoma, heart issues - pacemaker, low blood pressure), he's already taking daily medicines and specialized eye drops with the help of caregiver staff. Whatever is added to that protocol will likely be seen as overwhelming, so I'd like to suggest things they might even consider adding to the existing protocol.

Sleep cycle problems and anxiety are intimately linked with dementia, and should be addressed as part of the treatment.

As of this moment, my short list includes:

• Coconut oil, 3 to 4 tablespoons a day
• Full-spectrum CBD-rich oil, 25mg a day
• Full-spectrum indica-variety THC-rich oil, 10mg a day, just before bedtime
• B-12 (injection)
• B vitamin complex (daily pill)
• Lion's Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) powder, in capsules
• Green tea (a couple of cups a day, or in capsules)

I'm convinced that the cannabis compounds are probably the most significant, especially at first, to address the sleep cycle issues which greatly exacerbate the confusion. The small dose of THC (from an indica variety, which is relaxing, sleep-inducing) would allow him to sleep through the night. THC is also known to be neuroprotective. A single capsule at bedtime could contain the CBD and THC. Unfortunately, this is the least likely suggestion on my list that will be considered by family members - old stigmas are tough to overcome.

The B-12 shot would be a lot easier than having to get him to take B-12 pills.

Coconut oil, mixed half-and-half with peanut butter, is a way to eat MCT (medium chain triglycerides) oil with maybe the least fuss (and I have gotten him to do this in the past.) He eats and enjoys fish, and could easily be convinced to increase fatty fish such as salmon, for increased Omega 3.

Things like bacopa, gotu kola, ginko, curcumin, ashwaghanda, cordyceps and reishi mushrooms, are probably too subtle, and if this has any chance of working, he will need something that will make a noticeable impact within a few weeks, not months. If the family would implement the ideas on the short list and see improvement, then maybe these other substances would be considered.

Your considered thoughts are welcomed.

[onawah]

Check this out too, about healing with stem cells-- the body's own cure for just about anything, apparently: https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...=1#post1277633

[Mike]

One very simple suggestion is lots of cold water all day, every day.

Gary Null reported very good results after 3 weeks of doing this one simple thing for dementia and Alzheimer patients. Apparently it rehydrates a shrunken and dehydrated brain.

Wish you luck there brother. Hopefully you'll find a receptive ear for your suggestions.

[Hym]

Dennis, Thanks for the new/maturing thread. I hope this is not off topic, but this thought came in strong. Sunshine.

Sunshine and it's anti-depressive effects, as well as it's effect on how we absorb many nutrients. It's been the coldest winter for me and I can't help but feel the importance of the sun that just came out and how I do my best to get out into it for it's healing effects, especially living here.

Seasonal Affected Disorder, especially in the northern hemisphere, has a real effect upon our health. Ott/full spectrum lights, sunshine, vitamin D and easy exercise all contribute to dealing with depression and dementia.

I'm laughing about hanging the clothes out to dry in the cold and strong winds, but the sunshine is drying the clothes well. Our lives are so dependent on the life giving rays of our sun that I can't help but include them in this healing thread.

May your efforts and those added here bring healing and relief for your father-in-law.

[ErtheVessel]

Here's an interesting article on reducing aluminum toxicity in the body and brain - aluminum is supposedly a contributor to dementia (which it looks like you already know):

https://universityhealthnews.com/dai...num-poisoning/

The silica water sounds like something easy to do and might appear less aggressive to those family member who are not on board with alternative therapies.

[Bubu]

have you tried aroma therapy? Just put some in the room. Go for the variety and observe what works. The resin of Canarium ovatum works for me. The good thing about aroma therapy is it goes straight to the blood stream from the lungs. The body dont have to spend energy for the processing in digesting.

http://jeanne-blog.com/elemi-resin-herb-eo/

[PurpleLama]

Nascent Iodine supplementation is also a good one for overall cognition, I am much more clear headed with it than without it. I get mine from Baar, who follows the Cayce formula for making it. A drop in a glass of water taken first thing in the morning is all it takes.

If you want to sneak hemp oil into the diet, use it to make salad dressing with some good ol' apple cider vinegar. Delicious!

[Dennis Leahy]

Posted by PurpleLama (here)
Nascent Iodine supplementation is also a good one for overall cognition, I am much more clear headed with it than without it. I get mine from Baar, who follows the Cayce formula for making it. A drop in a glass of water taken first thing in the morning is all it takes.

If you want to sneak hemp oil into the diet, use it to make salad dressing with some good ol' apple cider vinegar. Delicious!

Iodine is an element I have never supplemented... and my mom had low thyroid and was on Synthroid. Decades ago, I ate seafood and used iodized table salt, and now I use Himalayan salt but have been taking kelp pills, so I am getting a little. However, with numerous reminders in numerous threads here at Avalon (and where the linked research is), I think I need to get serious about taking iodine. Thanks.

As for the second wind of this thread, with an emphasis towards my father-in-law's slide into dementia, I love the addition of two critical pieces to the puzzle, sunlight and water. The aromatherapy idea is cool too, because once someone sets up a diffuser in his apartment, it is not something he would have to think about, but it would be there. There are studies showing that (inhaled) Rosemary oil improves memory.

Sadly, my f-i-l is now on the cusp of being moved to "memory care" from "assisted living", and if my experience with my own parents' decline and the refusal of the (much more medically-oriented) staff in memory care is an indication, they will completely discount all advice and focus on adding enough psychotropic meds that the patient cannot go 'walkabout.'

I'm going to compile a short list today and offer it to my wife and her siblings.

[Bubu]

Posted by Dennis Leahy (here)

Posted by PurpleLama (here)
Nascent Iodine supplementation is also a good one for overall cognition, I am much more clear headed with it than without it. I get mine from Baar, who follows the Cayce formula for making it. A drop in a glass of water taken first thing in the morning is all it takes.

If you want to sneak hemp oil into the diet, use it to make salad dressing with some good ol' apple cider vinegar. Delicious!

Iodine is an element I have never supplemented... and my mom had low thyroid and was on Synthroid. Decades ago, I ate seafood and used iodized table salt, and now I use Himalayan salt but have been taking kelp pills, so I am getting a little. However, with numerous reminders in numerous threads here at Avalon (and where the linked research is), I think I need to get serious about taking iodine. Thanks.

As for the second wind of this thread, with an emphasis towards my father-in-law's slide into dementia, I love the addition of two critical pieces to the puzzle, sunlight and water. The aromatherapy idea is cool too, because once someone sets up a diffuser in his apartment, it is not something he would have to think about, but it would be there. There are studies showing that (inhaled) Rosemary oil improves memory.

Sadly, my f-i-l is now on the cusp of being moved to "memory care" from "assisted living", and if my experience with my own parents' decline and the refusal of the (much more medically-oriented) staff in memory care is an indication, they will completely discount all advice and focus on adding enough psychotropic meds that the patient cannot go 'walkabout.'

I'm going to compile a short list today and offer it to my wife and her siblings.

This is also our dilemma with our parents. While I am able to convince my siblings in making the move to herbal and we all coaxing our parents to do the same. Our parents refused. My father died last year at the age of 89. Two legs amputated a testament of modern medical torture. But he did live long in spite with complete brain function, despite his body being soak on med. I think big part of it is he gets sun everyday if weather is good. He will sit out in the sun on his wheelchair, for 30 min to 1 hour around 7 to 8 am. It has been his routine for Approx. 15 years, even when he still has complete limbs. Also water is a very good addition I will never discount this simple but very effective cure. When I arrived home after tooth extraction I instinctively down couple of big glass water and realize I am taking a cure So far so good with no pill protocol.

[Delight]

This is not an herb but related to a really interesting technology PEMF. I came across this video. Jerry Tennant had his own encephalitic brain condition related to a viral infection and began his own research journey. The science he discusses sounded like an indication of the workings of pulsed electromagnetic frequency (PEMF)

Sun and water both make sense when talking about increasing voltage. Increasing voltage is the basis of what Tennant learned heals cells.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MPDPrXEAe1s

Then I looked up his book and found this review

This information has been around for ages but the first I have heard that cancer occurs with low body voltage. The author assumes a layperson education and explains in great detail using simpler language than your typical introductory EE college course. The breadth and depth of information is incomparable to other PEMF manuals and useful for devices other than that promoted by the author. I believe this technology will become mainstream and impactful for unprecedented injury recovery, organ optimization and overall wellbeing. I have read it cover to cover multiple time and am still learning how fascinating the body compensates for toxic assaults. Extremely High Recommend for PEMF users and those in ill health seeking non-allopathic solutions.

Healing is Voltage: The Handbook, 3rd Edition
byJerry L. Tennant

Dr. Gordan in his 80's looks very vital

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=5IhnhfS7CqY

FYI here is one episode that is not brain related but shows the dramatic effects on pancreatitis and Multiple Sclerosis

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lWgwHvxa5Cg